About This Video

In this cooking video, Vanessa helps make English muffin personal pizzas in the microwave.

The recipe uses an English muffin, pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, and meatballs. Participants help warm the meatball, add sauce to each half of the English muffin, sprinkle cheese, add toppings, microwave the pizzas, let them cool, and taste the finished snack or meal.

The video also talks about flexible toppings. Participants can use meatballs, vegetables, onions, peppers, black olives, or other favorite pizza toppings. This gives participants a chance to make choices and create a personal pizza that fits their preferences.

This video gives participants a practical cooking activity focused on microwave use, food preparation, topping choices, kitchen safety, snack planning, and growing independence in the kitchen.

Supplies Needed

• English muffin

• Pasta sauce

• Mozzarella cheese

• Meatball or other pizza topping

• Optional toppings such as vegetables, onions, peppers, or black olives

• Microwave-safe plate

• Microwave

• Knife and cutting board, if slicing toppings

• Paper towel

• Microwave glove, oven mitt, or hot pad

Good For

• Adults with IDD who enjoy cooking, pizza, snacks, simple meals, choosing toppings, or helping prepare food.

• Caregivers looking for a short cooking activity that supports microwave safety, kitchen participation, and flexible food choices.

• Adult day programs, home routines, or group activities about cooking, microwave use, food preparation, choice-making, following directions, and daily living skills.

• Participants who benefit from visual modeling, repeated steps, hands-on participation, and support with building independence in the kitchen.

How to Use This Video

Use this video as a guided cooking activity for a home routine, day program, small group, or supported kitchen activity.

Caregivers can gather the ingredients and supplies ahead of time, then support participants with warming toppings, adding sauce, sprinkling cheese, choosing toppings, using the microwave, waiting for the pizza to cool, and serving the finished food.

This recipe is flexible. Caregivers can adjust the toppings, cheese, sauce amount, portion size, or level of support based on food preferences, allergies, texture needs, and nutrition goals.

Because this activity involves a microwave, hot food, possible knife use, dairy, meat, and possible food allergies, caregivers can provide support with setup, handwashing, food safety, microwave safety, hot mitt use, cooling time, cleanup, portion size, and serving.

At the end, participants can taste their personal pizzas, talk about which toppings they liked, and practice making the recipe again with different combinations.